Tipsy Tiramisu With Spiced Cranberries, Toasted Hazelnuts, And Brandy - cranberries

Method

• Make spiced cranberries: In a medium large saucepan, add cranberries, 1 cup sugar, 1/2 cup water, star anise, cinnamon stick, cloves, and orange zest. Simmer over medium low heat, stirring occasionally. Cook for about twenty minutes, until cranberries cook down and become soft and cooking liquid is syrupy. Remove from heat. Split vanilla bean, remove seeds, and add seeds and bean to pan. Add 1/4 cup brandy. Stir, cover, and let steep for about 20 minutes. Remove vanilla bean and cinnamon stick.
• Make simple syrup: In small saucepan, add 1 cup water, 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 cup brandy. Stir until sugar dissolves. Cook over medium high heat until syrup boils. Reduce heat to low and simmer for five minutes. Remove from heat.
• Make heavy cream filling: In mixer fitted with whisk attachment, beat heavy cream until cream holds soft peaks. In another bowl, beat marscapone cheese with whisk until smooth and creamy. Set aside.
• Make zabaglione filling: In double boiler or in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water, add yolks and 1 cup sugar. Using a hand mixer or whisk, whisk until the mixture thickens and triples in volumes. It will have the consistency of a very thick custard and will be a lovely golden color, You may see some small bubbles frothing on the surface, but do not boil. Otherwise you will have scrambled eggs! Take zabaglione off heat and add to marscapone cheese mixture. Whisk until smooth, then add 1/4 amount of whipped cream to bowl with a rubber spatula. Fold to incorporate. Fold in remaining whipped cream to marscapone cheese, then fold in final tablespoon brandy.
• Putting it all together: Dip each cookie in simple syrup mixture, coating for about 4 seconds on each side. Line cookies on bottom of serving dish (a glass or decorative dish looks stunning) with sides at least 2 inches high. Spread half of the cranberries over cookies, covering them completely. Add half of zabaglione mixture on top of cranberries, speading to edges of pan. Top with half of the chopped hazelnuts. Make another layer of dipped cookies, cranberries, ending with zabaglione layer and hazelnuts. (Depending on the size of your pan, you may be able to make more layers of cookies, cranberries, and zabaglione.) Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight. Remove tiramisu 30 minutes before serving. Serve with hot espresso or a snifter of brandy.